If there’s one thing we’ve learned during our Juneteenth Road Trip, it’s this: you can tell how good a festival is by how long people stick around.
And every year in Manhattan — the Little Apple — we stay awhile.
The Manhattan Juneteenth Celebration once again delivered one of the best Friday night gatherings of the season, bringing together families, friends and visitors for an evening of music, food and community fellowship at City Park.
The always-popular grilling cookoff drew plenty of attention as attendees sampled barbecue entries and cast votes for their favorites. Food trucks, vendors and activities for children kept the park busy throughout the evening, creating a welcoming atmosphere for all ages.
Then came the music.
This year’s concert featured Party Train, formerly The Gap Band, continuing Manhattan’s tradition of bringing crowd-pleasing entertainment to its Juneteenth celebration. The band had the crowd singing and dancing along as they performed many of the Gap Band’s biggest hits, turning City Park into an outdoor dance party.
The Friday night concert is co-hosted by longtime organizer Betti O. Jones and Mr. Gary of the Them Yo People podcast, whose energy helps make the event one of the most anticipated Juneteenth celebrations in Kansas.
Over the years, Manhattan has welcomed major performers including Heatwave, Regina Belle, Keith Washington and Kirk Whalum, earning a reputation for delivering top-notch entertainment along with a strong sense of community.
The celebration’s success reflects the work of many dedicated leaders and volunteers. Leadership includes Board Chair Zelia Wiley, Betti O. Jones, Sonya Baker, Dereck Thomas, Patricia Hudgins, Keisha Clark and Fatuma Ochanda, whose efforts help make the annual event possible.
From the food to the fellowship to the music, Manhattan once again proved why it’s one of the stops we never miss on our Juneteenth Road Trip. Some celebrations are good. Manhattan’s is one of those rare events where people arrive early, stay late and leave already looking forward to next year.
